John s



(No Model.)

' J. S. COLLISON.

OAR COUPLING.

N0. 574,880. Patented Jan. 12, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. OOLLISON, OF STROMSBURG, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LOUISW. PETERSON, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,880, dated January12, 1897.

Application filed January 16, 1896. Serial No. 575,735. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: catch is substantiallyY-shaped,beingtapered Beit known that I, JOHN S. OOLLISON, a citi towardits front end and provided at its back zen of the United States,residing at Stromswitharecess 6, receivinga vertically-movable burg, inthe county of Polk and State of Nelink engaging bar 7, mounted insuitable braska, have invented a new and useful Caropenings of the topand bottom of the draw- 5 5 Coupling, of which the followingisaspecifica: head. The vertical link-engaging bar is tion. cated in rearof the catches, and is provided The lnvention relates to improvements inwitha pair of forwardly-projecting lugs 8, arcar-couplings. ranged aboveand below the link and adapted 1b The object of the present invention isto to hold the same at the bottom of the drawimprovethe constructionofcar-couplingsand head, but capable of vertical movement to to provide asimple, inexpensive, and efficient permit the link to have the necessaryplay. one, capable of coupling automatically and of The bottom of thedraw-head is provided with being readily uncoupled without necessitatarecess to receive the lower lug of the link- 15 ing a person goingbetween cars. engaging bar to permit the upper face of the The inventionconsists in the construction lug to be flush with the bottom of thedrawand novel combination and arrangement of head when the bar 7 is inits lowermost posiparts hereinafter fully described, illustrated tion,and the bar is prevented from leaving in the accompanying drawings, andpointed the draw-head by a pin or key 9, passing 20 out in the claimshereto appended. through the lowerend of the bar and located In thedrawings, Figure 1 is a perspective below the draw-head. I view of acar-coupling constructed in accord- The link-engaging bar is provided atits ance with this invention and shown applied upper end with ahead 10,which extends forto a car. Fig. 2 is acentral longitudinal secward fromit and projects over the top of the 2 5 tional View of the car-coupling,showing the pivoted catch, whereby it is engaged by the same confiningthe link. Fig. 3 is a similar same when the pivoted catch is lifted toreview, the parts being arranged for releasing lease the link. The linkis instantly released the link. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view whenthe bar 7 is raised by the lugs, which of the pivoted catch. lift thelink clear of the fixed catch at the 0 1 designates a draw-head having aflaring bottom of the draw-head. \Vhen the pivoted 8o mouth and providedat its bottom with a catch is lowered, the parts are in position forcentrally-arranged longitudinallydisposed automatic coupling, and a linkis adapted to fixed catch 2, having an inclined upper edge enter thedraw-head, lift the pivoted catch, and forming a shoulder at its rearedge, and and drop behind the fixed catch, and the ter- 3 5 adapted toengagealink 3. The space above minals of the link are slightly bentupward. the fixed catch 2 is closed by a pivoted catch 4, The operationof uncoupling is performed arranged in a longitudinal slot of the top offrom the sides of a car 12 by means of a rockthe draw-head and dependingtherefrom, and shaft 13, journaled in suitable bearings and having aninclined front edge adapted to be provided at its ends with handles, andhaving 40 engaged by the link, whereby the catch 4 is adjaccnt to itscenter a pair of arms 14:, which lifted to permit the link to engage thefixed are connected by curved links 15 and short catch. The point orlower extremity of the chain l5 with the top of the catch at oppositepivoted catch is located adjacent to the upper sides of thelink-engaging bar. The rock-shaft extremity of the fixed catch, and thelink is is also provided withacentrall -arranged arm 45 securelyconfined in engagement with the lat- 16, which is connected by a rod 17with the 5 ter. The pivoted catch is provided with a top of thedraw-head to enable the operation horizontal top portion or plate 5, andthe pivot of uncoupling to be performed at that point,

6 is arranged at the front of the draw-head at the car being provided atits top with a suitthe top thereof. able guide for the reception of therod 17. 50 The top portion or plate 5 of the pivoted It will be seenthat the car-coupling is excecdingly simple and inexpensive inconstruction, that it is positive and reliable in operation, and that itdoes not necessitate a person going between cars during coupling oruncoupling. It will also be apparent that the car-coupling is automaticand that the catch 4 and the link-engaging bar '7 may be operated fromthe top and sides of a car.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificii'lgany of the advantages of this invention.

\Vhat I claim is- 1.. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-headprovided at its bottom with a fixed catch, a pivoted catch mounted onthe drawhead, depending from the top thereof and located above the fixedcatch, a link, and a vertically-movable bar mounted 011 the drawhead inrear of the catches, engaging the upper face of the link and connectedwith and operated by the pivoted catch, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided at itsbottom with a fixed catch, a pivoted catch depending from the top of thedraw-head and located at the top thereof above the fixed catch, and thevertically-disposed link-engaging bar located in rear of the catches andcapable of vertical movement independent of the pivoted catch, andprovided with a head arranged to be engaged by the pivoted catch,whereby the bar is moved vertically when the pivoted catch is swungupward, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a fixed catcharranged at the bot tom of the draw-head, a pivoted catch depending fromthe top of the draw-head and having a top or plate located above thedrawhead, and the vertically-movable link-engaging bar located in therear of the catches and provided with a pair of forwardly-projectinglugs to engage a link, and having a head supported by the pivoted catch,substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided at itsbottom with a fixed catch, a pivoted catch depending from the top of thedraw-head and located above the fixed catch, a car, a transverserock-shaft journaled on the car and provided at its terminals withhandles, and having a centrallyarranged arm and a pair of arms locatedat opposite sides of the centrally-arranged arm, curved links connectingthe pair of arms with the pivoted catch, and connections between thecentrally-arranged arm and the top of the car, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. COLLISON. Witnesses:

A. B. JACOBS, E. W. SLATER.

